Amarinder’s brother quits Congress, joins Akali Dal

Chandigarh : Upset over being denied a Congress ticket for the Jan 30 state assembly polls, Malwinder Singh, the younger brother of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh, Saturday quit the party and joined the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal.

Malwinder Singh, who openly opposed the Congress allotting a poll ticket for the Samana assembly seat to Amarinder Singh’s son Raninder Singh, was welcomed into the Akali Dal fold by its president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the deputy chief minister.

“The (Congress) party has done great injustice to me despite my working for the party interests,” Malwinder Singh, who like his brother belongs to the erstwhile Patiala royal family, said here.

Sukhbir Badal said that Malwinder’s joining the Akali Dal would strengthen the party further.

Earlier, Malwinder had threatened to contest the state poll from Samana as an Independent, but also said he kept his options open.IANS